1) They connect you with God. 2) They involve humming, weird stretches, incense, and togas. 3) They earn you extra credit points with God!

Transcription

1 Encounter University Practicing Habits of Grace June 15, 2016 Welcome: (Quick welcome.) Let s get started! SECTION ONE: HABITS OF GRACE Three Myths about Habits of Grace (Spiritual Disciplines): 1) They connect you with God. 2) They involve humming, weird stretches, incense, and togas. 3) They earn you extra credit points with God! Definition: Habits of Grace are regular activities of our life that put us in a position for the Lord to work in and through us. The habits enlarge the space for our roots to spread. These habits include bible reading, prayer, Scripture memorization, fasting, Scripture meditation, and journaling. Group Interaction: Why don t we regularly practice Habits of Grace? (Allow time for response.) 1) We are lazy. a. Face it; if discipline was easy then I d be a body builder, musician, and marathon runner. 2) We lack focus, direction, and destination. a. In 1 Corinthians 9:23-27 Paul states how he understands the importance of disciplining himself in such a way so that he may be effective in his ministry and work and so that he may be able to claim the prize. (I do all this for the sake of the Gospel we do it to get a crown that will last forever not be disqualified for the prize.) b. Until you decide to order your life around a specific goal or a future, then you will never be able to choose a disciplined life. 3) We forget that living a disciplined life is our responsibility. a. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12) 4) Our views are too small. a. Our view of who God want us to become is too small. b. Our view of how God wants to use us is too small. Reason 1: Habits of Grace are foundational to your deepening relationship with Jesus. Turn to Galatians 6:7-10 and follow along with me as I read.

2 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature [a] will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Reason 2: Practicing Habits of Grace help you live according to God s Standard. Quote: In his book The Life You ve Always Wanted, John Ortberg states that A disciplined person is someone who can do the right thing at the right time in the right way with the right spirit. Training and disciplining teach us what to do, when to do it, and how to do it in the right way! Illustration: Being able to dunk a basketball. (Play this up.) Reason 3: Practicing Habits of Grace bridges the gap between desire and dedication. Quote: One author states that Many have ambitions never realized goals never reached aspirations for usefulness never fulfilled and visions that never materialize. While, of course, there may be other reasons such as limited ability, but all too often the deficiency is not lack of natural ability, but lack of discipline. The reason many do not achieve is that they will not buckle down to demanding discipline. Their ambitions are not beyond their capacity, but beyond their discipline! Many of us have the desire but are lacking the dedication. It is the person who disciplines their life who demonstrates and lives out a life of dedication. Reason 4: Practicing Habits of Grace rewards us with freedom. Illustration: As I have shared in the past, one of my greatest regrets in life is not disciplining myself to practicing the piano. (Illustrate this by playing the Richard Marx song on the keyboard.) It is unfortunate that I am bound to the one song I know while those who have disciplined themselves to practice have total freedom of all 88 keys on the piano. Quote: During my study I ran across this powerful statement

3 [Discipline] is not merely a restraint, but preparation for release. It is not a loss of freedom, but the road to greater freedom. It is not holding back but moving ahead. It is not an enemy, but a friend. It is not self punishment but self control. It is not slavery but mastery. It is not an end in itself but the beginning and follow through to all worth while achievement. Discipline is something to be coveted in that the enemy of discipline is an aimless, ambiguous, unfocused life! An undisciplined life has no goals, no purpose, no direction. We can already see that the Christian life must include discipline. Reason 5: Habits of Grace help us stay focused on what is right and true. In 1 Timothy 4:1-7 we discover that the way you guard against believing what is contrary to Scripture is by training or disciplining yourself for godliness. (Read 1 Timothy 4:1-7.) 1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. This is vitally important for us, especially in the day in age in which we live. We must discipline ourselves so that we might be able to develop a Biblical Worldview and be able to clearly see the world through the lens of Scripture. (Pause.) SECTION TWO: BIBLE READING AND STUDY Jesus asked a lot of questions. The question he asked most often was, Have you not read? Jesus assumed that those who love God are readers of His Word. The average American spends over 72 hours watching television every two weeks. It is possible to read out loud the Bible in less than 72 hours if, for two weeks, you would change your television time to Bible reading time you will read through the Bible in two weeks. 1 The following are some important tools for Bible study: 1 See

4 - Bible - Tablet or 3 ring binder - Pencil - Highlighters - Note cards and/or PostIt notes The Inductive Bible Study Method (IBS): Step 1: Begin your time with prayer. - Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. (Psalm 119:18) Step 2: Do a quick read. - Read for 5 minutes. - Discover the flavor (message, poem, doctrine, narrative, etc.). - Discover the tone (condemning, teaching, explaining, etc.) - Record your initial impressions in a single paragraph. Step 3: Gather background information. - Setting what is happening or going on? - Purpose why is this being written? - Theme what is being spoken about? - Author who wrote the text and what do we learn about them? - Recipients are there specific individuals to whom this text was addressed? Step 4: Record any initial questions you may have. Step 5: Take your time and slowly re-read the passage. Step 6: Make observations from the passage. - Get very specific about what you observe and record your observations. Be sure to highlight the verse that your various observations came from. - What words need to be defined? - Are there characters that need to be identified? - What words or topics are emphasized or repeated. - What is the mood or atmosphere? - What is the context of the passage? Step 7: Identify the BIG IDEA! - Summarize what this passage is saying in 5-7 words. Don t hesitate to get creative. Step 8: Use a Bible commentary to learn more. - It is important to know that referencing the commentary is not your first move in studying the Bible.

5 Step 9: Identify points of application. Step 10: Journal your response. Put the Method Into Practice: Passage 1: James 1:19-27 Passage 2: Psalm 1:1-6 Passage 3: Ephesians 4:17-32 Passage 4: 2 Samuel 11 Passage 5: Genesis 37 Commit: Determine 1) When you are going to read the Bible. 2) Where you are going to read the Bible. 3) What Bible passages you are going to read. 4) Who you are going to ask to hold you accountable.